Letting Go
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: Tony has no intention of having his homelife change, even though he is about to enter high school. This is part of my Fate series.
1. An Ordinary Day

An Ordinary Day

Jethro and Maria had spent hours over the past months quietly discussing her imminent retirement and transition from Washington, DC, to Campeche, Mexico. Though the family had used the Campeche home as a vacation spot and refuge for many years, it had not ever been occupied full time. Things were going to change, though, soon, and that was what the two were debating.

The pair was in the living room, Jethro in his favourite chair, and Maria in hers, and both were drinking coffee.

"Frankly, I am scared that he will be devastated without you," Jethro leaned towards Maria and swept his arm in a motion to include the entire house. "You are a part of every room here, all of his Washington life, and all of his memories."

"We will address all of his worries before the move," she responded. "Perhaps we should..."

She was interrupted by the slam of the back door, running feet, and Tony yelling, "Abuela, I'm home from school and I am starving! Can I have a snack before supper?"

Jethro called out "Don't run in the house, Son."

Tony stuck his head in the living room doorway, clearly surprised. "What are you doing home from work so early, Dad?"

Before Jethro could respond to the query, Tony raced to the rocking chair and plopped himself down in Maria's lap. He leaned up and kissed her, and she laughed and hugged him to her.

"Are you ever going to think you are too big, Bambino, to sit in my lap? Usted es demasiado grande."

"Nope, I'm not. Hey, guess what happened at school today?"

Gibbs was immediately alert, and braced himself mentally should it involve Tony getting into trouble badly enough to require a phone call from a teacher or a request for a parent conference. "What?"

"We were in gym, when..." Tony's voice trailed off and he looked at Maria pleadingly. "Abuela, I am so hungry. Tengo hambre. Could I please have something big, like a piece of cake?"

Maria frowned. "No, no cake before supper- eat some fruit right now. The cake is for our dessert tonight."

"Ok," Tony vaulted off of her lap and raced to the kitchen.

"Don't run in the house!" Gibbs called out again, then shook his head at Maria and smiled. They remained silent a minute or two, listening to Tony-inspired noise from the kitchen.

"We need to talk to him tonight, at supper," Maria stated firmly.

"Ok, I agree." Jethro nodded. "He needs to have a heads up at what's going to happen."

Tony ran back in the room juggling an apple from hand to hand. "Can I not do my homework right now, Abuela, and go shoot some ball? Just only today, please, I don't have much and I promise I'll get it done right after supper. You won't even have to remind me. Really, I only have one page of math and that's it, and it's about to rain, so I won't be able to go out later."

On a normal day, Maria would say no, unequivocally, but today was different, and she felt a bit guilty. So she nodded affirmatively and Tony raced back outside, gripping the apple between his teeth.


	2. Trouble in Paradise

Trouble in Paradise

She and Jethro waited until they had concluded the evening meal and were eating dessert before they got down to business.

"We have something we want to discuss as a family," Jethro spoke.

Tony's head jerked up and he looked suspiciously from one to the other. "What, Dad, Abuela, I didn't do anything bad. I'm not in trouble, am I?"

Maria laughed and answered, "No, no Antonio, you have been good today. We want to talk to you about starting high school next year, and about how much you have grown up now."

Tony relaxed and beamed in response, sure that something in the form of a reward was heading his way.

Jethro initiated the real conversation. "You know that it has always been the plan that your abuela would settle in the Campeche house for good one day." Tony nodded and resumed eating. "You are finishing up eighth grade now, and will be a freshman in just a couple of months." Tony put his fork down and regarded his father with sudden wariness. Jethro cringed, but continued determinedly. "So, Maria and I think she can now retire and go to Mexico."

Tony started shaking his head back and forth vehemently. "No, no, Dad, no Abuela- I don't want you to leave me. It's not time yet for you to go to Campeche." He turned pleading eyes to Maria.

She leaned over and took Tony's chin in her hand. "Look at me, my Bambino. I am not leaving you completely. We will be together on holidays and your school breaks, like always."

"No, no- absolutely not!" Tony pushed his chair back and stood up, and he was visibly upset. "Abuela, I want to be excused now. I am not going to talk about you leaving me any more! I am not listening to this." Without waiting for permission, he turned and jogged upstairs.

Jethro and Maria both exhaled and looked at each other in defeat. "I guess we didn't handle that too well," Gibbs remarked, at a loss as to how to proceed. "I'll go talk to him."

Maria put a hand on his arm to stop him. "No, let him go now and be alone. This will give him a chance to think about what we are saying. It was a shock to him just now."

Jethro nodded.

A couple of hours later he made his way upstairs to check that Tony had actually gone to bed. Other than answering with an "Ok, Dad," when Jethro called up the stairs that it was bedtime, he had been unusually quiet. Gibbs peeped into the darkened room, then opened the door a little further to let the hall light illuminate the area. Tony was sprawled across the bed sideways, and had knocked most of the bedding off in his sleep. His father shook his head and smiled- Tony's sleeping habits hadn't changed since babyhood. Moving quietly, he pulled the sleeping child to the top of the bed and repositioned the covers. Tony never even opened his eyes. Leaning down, Jethro kissed him softly on the forehead, then made his way to his own room.

The next day, Friday, didn't give either the chance to broach the sensitive

subject again. Tony was headed to the Mallards after school, to spend Friday night and Saturday, and Jethro assured Maria he could fend for himself at dinner, so she didn't have to worry about supper and could go home. She left early, and Gibbs returned to a dark, empty house. Looking around, he tried to imagine Tony's perspective of returning each day from school without Abuela there and grimaced in agreement. She was a tremendous, integral part of their family.


	3. Mrs Mallard

Mrs. Mallard

Victoria Mallard, Ducky's mother, picked Tony up at school and they immediately made their way to a Washington eatery they had discovered some years before. It was one of the few places in a hundred mile area which put on a British high tea. Tony pulled Mrs. Mallard's chair out at the tea table and she complimented, "Very good, young Anthony, I only had to teach you that once, when you were just a tyke."

Tony smiled and seated himself, but stayed pretty quiet until the aromatic tea and beautifully decorated sandwiches arrived.

Victoria began pouring the beverage immediately, and filled his cup. "Go ahead and get some sandwiches, I can see that you are ravenous." She stifled a grin as Tony smiled at her gratefully and then helped himself to a sampling of the selection. They sat together quietly for a several minutes, then she spoke.

"What is bothering you, Lad?"

Tony shook his head and looked down at his cup, "It's nothing, really, it has nothing to do with this. The tea is lovely, Mrs. Mallard."

"Don't try to brush me off, young man. I have known you since you were in nappies, and you have been dear to Donald and me for many, many years."

Tony set down his cup and met her gaze. "Mrs. Mallard, you know that Dad bought the place in Campeche, Mexico, for us, but also he bought it as a place for Abuela when she left Washington."

Victoria nodded in agreement.

"So I guess I never thought that she would actually be thinking of really going there. I just had it in my head that she would leave when I was married or something like that."

"I understand. You are very close to her, and you want her to remain with you."

"Right- so all of a sudden Dad and Abuela hit me with it last night at supper. They said that since I am about to leave middle school and get to high school I am old enough to stay by myself, and don't need to be looked after any more. The plan is that Abuela will go down to Campeche for good." Tony's voiced trailed to a close and he looked up at his tea companion for support.

Victoria nodded sympathetically. "I had a nanny I loved who left when I went off to boarding school. It broke my heart. Of course I didn't have her with me as many years as you have had Maria, but I do know that it hurts badly to have someone you love leave."

"They didn't even ask me if it would be okay. They just started telling me."

"Sometimes adults don't think things through carefully, just like young people."

"I am never going to be happy with this, and nothing they can say is going to make me just agree to having Abuela leave. It doesn't even really make a difference how mature I am. The point is that she is my abuela and I love her and want her with me."

They were interrupted with the arrival of Ducky, Dr. Donald Mallard, son of Victoria, and Tony's dad's good friend and professional colleague. The three chatted until they finished the tea, then Ducky and Tony departed for the Mallard home while Victoria drove to a meeting of her book club.

The evening passed without incident. Tony had spent many days and hours in the Mallard residence and one of the bedrooms had been his own from his toddlerhood. Tony played outside with the Corgis some, then joined Ducky in a game of Scrabble before retiring for his shower and bed. The next day the two were travelling to Rock Creek Park to participate in a re-enactment of a Revolutionary battle. Tony grinned at Ducky and raised his eyebrows dramatically, "You know we'll be on opposite sides in a couple of hours."

When Tony arrived home late that afternoon, he was tired and dirty, but excited about the day he'd enjoyed. Thanking Ducky for the great Saturday, he raced up to shower as Ducky and Jethro spent some time in the basement, each sipping a drink and talking about their interests.


	4. Plan of Action

Plan of Action

Tony let his mind focus on the major quandary of Maria leaving as he showered and got himself ready for bed. He slipped between the sheets, as mentally tired as he was physically tired. Analyzing one argument after another, he had a sudden epiphany that it would be difficult to keep his abuela there unless she and Jethro were convinced Tony couldn't function without her. He sat up in bed and shook his head. He was assaulted by the sudden realization that he could alter the course of future events through his own manipulations. Pleased with himself, he snapped off his bedside lamp and slid back under the covers to plot his strategy.

Within a week, Tony had turned the world inhabited by Abuela, his dad, and himself upside down.

Once again Gibbs and Maria were gathered in the living room, but this time they were truly perplexed.

"It's like he's reverted to being nine again," Jethro mumbled in confusion.

"He does not seem capable of doing anything by himself," she added.

"He nearly burned down the kitchen making pop tarts," Jethro's voice reflected his shock, "and I still don't understand how that physically happened. Then he left his science project at home and returned to get it, even though it made him miss the bus and late to school."

"Two of the teachers have called with complaints about Tony not focusing on work and playing, and he lost the money I gave him for his school lunches just yesterday," Maria spoke in bewilderment.

The ringing of the telephone interrupted their comparison of Tony's decline. Jethro got up to answer it, and his voice changed several decibels in the completion of the call.

Hanging up, he turned to Maria. "That was Tony's principal. Tony and Dylan skipped Math class today. There was a substitute, and they headed to the gym instead of going where they should have. " Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose. "He also says the school has already given him a day of in school suspension as the punishment."

Maria shook her head in disbelief. "What is going through the Bambino's head? He has been like a tornado!"

"I don't know about his head, but I can tell you what's getting close to going through his rear end."

Tony walked through the front door a half hour later and sensed immediately that the news of his absence from class had already been relayed. He felt a twinge of triumph. Instead of appearing worried, however, he grinned broadly. "Top of the afternoon to you both- what's up with the unhappy faces?"

Jethro snapped an immediate command, "Sit down, young man!"

Ignoring his dad's order and grinning, Tony threw his bookbag on the sofa, then flung himself onto Maria's lap.

"Bambino, no, go sit on the sofa! We are waiting to talk to you."

Tony rolled his eyes, but slowly stood up and moved to the sofa. Eyeing both adults, he asked in the disrespectful tone known to send his father over the edge, "What's your problem? Have you had a bad day and want to take it out on me?"

Jethro took himself from his chair to the sofa before the last word came out, snatched Tony by his arm to lift him and smacked his rear end. Tony couldn't help but let out an audible, "Ouch, Dad!" as his father sat him firmly back down on the sofa cushion.

"Stop being rude right now, Bambino. You are already in trouble for skipping your class, and are just making it worse. Change your behaviour right this minute. Cambie su comportamiento en este momento!"

Tony shook his head, then asked, "Why are you mad with me anyway? All I did was miss a class in school. It's no big deal, and you don't have to freak out about it. No importa!"

Jethro narrowed his gaze, "You got that wrong, Tony. It's a really big deal, and you don't get to choose whether you go to school or not, or whether you go to class or not. You have been on a rampage all week, and this is the last straw."

Tony rolled his eyes at the words, serving to further anger his father. "Tony, if you want me to spank you right here and right now I will be happy to oblige you!"

"I really don't care one way or another." Tony responded, as insolently as he could.


	5. Response

Response

That smart mouthed response was too much for Maria. "Go to your room right now, nieto!" Tony shrugged his shoulders, but got up and made his way up the stairs, which he climbed slowly. Jethro and Maria turned to each other in shock. This was a far different Tony than they usually saw. Their Tony was mischievous when bad, not malicious or unrepentant.

In disbelief, they puzzled over the current transformation, the week's long list of unacceptable events and Tony's reaction.

Jethro finally sighed, "He's earned a spanking for all of this. You know that, Maria."

"Se que, I know, yes, he does, but all of this is still unlike him. This is not how my bambino acts." Maria shook her head in bewilderment.

Tony was sprawled across his bed when Jethro got to his bedroom. His ears were filled with music blasting from his IPod and he was thumbing through a magazine, activities he knew were forbidden before he finished his schoolwork. Jethro tapped him on the leg and Tony turned over lazily, not bothering to remove the IPod. His father removed it for him and Tony acted shocked. "What's up with that, Dad? I was just listening to music."

"You know exactly what the problem is. You haven't even started your homework."

"Whatever," Tony muttered, and rolling his eyes, he began to turn back to his magazine.

Jethro's eyes narrowed.

"I have just reached the end of my patience, young man." With that observation, Gibbs began unbuckling his belt, and motioned for Tony to get off of his bed and stand up.

Despite his determination to appear nonchalant, Tony's stomach tightened, though he pulled himself up and reluctantly undid his clothing. The moment Jethro sat down on the bed and pulled his son across his lap Tony hurriedly buried his head in his arms, knowing his tears would be flowing soon. It didn't take long. His dad brought the belt down across his son's exposed butt in five blistering, stinging smacks.

His father only spanked him a couple of times a year- he saved corporal punishment for really egregious offenses, and his week of terror had obviously made the cut. Tony's bottom felt like it was on fire, and his responding sobs continued a few minutes after the conclusion of the punishment. Jethro kept him across his lap until he felt Tony's tears slow. When he finally gathered himself and slipped off Jethro's lap, he gently pulled his boxers and jeans back up, careful to not irritate his sensitive bottom. He stood, not willing to cause one more iota of pain to his still throbbing bottom.

Standing up himself and threading his belt back into his pants loops Jethro spoke quietly. "Son, I don't know what has gotten into your head this week, but it had better get taken care of quickly. Skipping classes at school- did you think you wouldn't get caught? Were you even thinking at all?" Tony didn't respond, and he continued, "What happens at school affects you at home. You know that, Son! If you are not doing what you should be there, you are going to pay for it here, as well. In addition, back talking and being defiant and disrespectful are always going to end badly for you, Tony."

Tony was looking at the floor, so Jethro closed the distance between them. Tapping the boy under his chin, he nodded for Tony to look at him. "If I don't see an immediate- and I mean the next time you speak- improvement in your attitude I will put you over my knee again. Believe me, if I have to spank you again, that is exactly what I will do, and you will be on the receiving end of far more than five smacks."

Jethro paused and gathered his thoughts. "Now, you are grounded from everything- the phone, the television, any out of the house activities- through this weekend. Am I clear?"

Tony nodded miserably.

"No, I want a verbal response."

"I got it. No anything until Monday." Tony wiped at his eyes, then rubbed at his still stinging bottom. His plan had worked- no question about it. However, it was a painful victory for him.

Jethro looked at his son and shook his head, trying again to make sense of the past few days. He wasn't sure how to make Tony share what his motive was. "What is your problem this week, Son? Have you lost every bit of the maturity I thought you finally had?"

"I don't know, Dad. I guess you are going to tell me next that I can't be left alone and need a sitter," his son responded.

Still at a loss to Tony's behaviour, Jethro reiterated the point, unsure of a better strategy. "That is pretty evident. What I can't fathom is why you would want your freedom restricted, or any other punishment for that matter. The attitude and behaviour that you have been exhibiting are completely unacceptable. Let me repeat that I had better see a genuine transformation quickly, from you, or you are going to get your bottom spanked again and further restrictions. Am I clear, Anthony?"

Tony nodded, a little concerned about how upset he had gotten his dad. Realizing his father would want a verbal response he spoke, "Got you, Dad-"

Gibbs nodded, "Do not leave your room until you are called to supper, and get onto your homework right now. I want to see every bit of your work when you come down to eat." He grabbed the magazine and IPod off of the bed and left.


	6. Compromise

Compromise

Tony stood for a moment, then softly pushed the door to a near close. Leaning against the doorframe he reviewed the last few minutes and sighed, then gathered his books and started on his homework.

Supper was pretty quiet. Jethro looked over the homework and was satisfied with the work. Tony helped clean up without too much prodding. Maria usually left right afterwards but tonight she was troubled. When Tony started to leave the kitchen and head back upstairs, she stopped him. "Where are you going? Donde?"

Tony answered, "Dad put me on restriction, Abuela, remember? I can't watch television, so I am going to my room."

Maria nodded, but then ordered, "Wait a minute. Come here first and sit down."

Tony headed back into the kitchen reluctantly and took his usual seat at the table. He waited for Maria to speak.

"Antonio, I do not understand what has made my good boy become so bad all of a sudden. You have been like another child the past few days, and I am disappointed. You are a couple of weeks away from finishing all of your middle school and yet you are acting like an elementary student."

"Well maybe that is because I am not very mature. Did that occur to you?" Tony snapped in response.

"Watch your tone, Bambino." Maria cautioned, then paused to gather her thoughts. "How am I going to be able to go to Mexico and not worry all of the time about you? I will not be comfortable, and I will be afraid. I will be scared that you are not ok here."

Tony met her gaze but didn't answer.

"You suddenly don't know how to use the stove, or to make it to school, or to do anything on your own."

That finally brought forth a response. "Then maybe you really didn't get me ready for you to leave! Maybe you haven't done your job, Abuela!"

Maria was shocked at the intensity of the defence, and in a flash of insight suddenly understood what had been the motivation for Tony's downfall. She pushed her chair back and stood.

"Come here, Antonio," she motioned, and Tony, unable to keep his true emotions in check any longer, bolted from his chair and into her embrace. Wrapping his arms around her neck he sobbed as if his heart were broken. Maria held him as she rubbed his back and brushed back his hair and murmured soothing words.

Hearing the commotion, Jethro came up from the basement, and took in the scene before him. He settled himself against the counter, realizing that the moment belonged to Maria and his son, and that they would enlighten him. Tony's sobs were coming in gasping breaths, but bits and pieces of his speech were coherent. Jethro suddenly understood. The father felt his stomach knot and he met Maria's eyes. They finally had the key to Tony's misbehaviour.

Maria sat down abruptly and pulled Tony with her. He buried his head in her shoulder as she shifted him on her lap. Still small for his age, he was nevertheless getting taller. Jethro couldn't resist a grin at the picture, despite the emotion of the moment. Sprawled across his abuela's lap, Tony's feet almost reached the floor.

Maria motioned for a tissue and Jethro retrieved one. Pushing Tony's face away from her shoulder, she held the tissue over his nose and ordered, "Blow."

He did, then stayed sitting up, but still clinging to her. She kissed his cheek softly and said, "I have never loved anyone the way that I love you, Bambino. You have filled my heart with such joy and pride, and have made these years such unbelievable happy ones for me." Tony leaned down and wiped his face against the front of her dress, effectively drying his eyes. She smiled and grasped his chin. "You have done that very thing since you were a baby." Exhausted from the emotional roller coaster, Tony settled back against her, wiped out.

Maria kissed the top of his head. "I think that a mistake has been made in this house. When we first started talking about having me go to Mexico for good months ago, we just didn't want to mention it because we had no clear plans. Then when we started finalizing, we didn't want to worry you. We- I- we didn't think that it would upset you this much to have me leave when you are going to start high school. Lo siento, bambino, I am sorry."

Tony nodded against her, and Jethro cleared his throat and spoke finally. "I am sorry, too, Son, because we just threw this at you without warning. Believe me, though, we didn't mean to upset you about this."

Tony wiped his eyes again and stood up, his deep hurt still evident. Anger and disbelief laced his words. "Upset? You think I'm upset? Neither one of you thought it would be a problem to take Abuela away, my abuela I have had since I was a baby? That is not caring! If you did you would know that I would want Abuela here for my first day of high school. She was there for my first day of kindergarten, and my first day of elementary, the first day of middle school..."

He turned to face them both. "The most stupid thing about all this is that I thought all these years we were a family. We were supposed to not hurt each other. This isn't how families work, though. Families work together."

Tony shook his head and started towards the stairs. "May I be excused now? I don't want to be down here anymore."

"No, quedate, tenemos que hablar, we need to finish this talk," Maria answered quickly.

Jethro joined in, "No, son, stay here. Let's get everything straight now."


	7. Family

Family

Tony stood a moment in indecision, poised on the steps and ready to defy them both, but finally nodded, returned, and sat down at the table. Gibbs took a seat as well, and after a rocky start, the three spent the next half hour deep in conversation. Both adults allowed Tony to take the lead, realizing that Tony himself needed to decide when he could turn loose of Maria.

Finally, Gibbs summed up the conclusions. "Ok, so Tony, you and Abuela will leave for Campeche this summer as you always do, and I will join you in July, as usual. Then the three of us will return to Washington in time for school to start."

Tony and Maria nodded in agreement, and he looked up and smiled at her.

"Then," Gibbs continued, "Maria will stay with us until after you have at least been through your first week of school before she returns to Mexico."

Gibbs glanced at the other two before continuing. "When Tony gets out for Christmas, he will fly to Campeche immediately, but I'll go when I usually do. We will spend the rest of the break there, then your abuela-" The father turned and looked at his son with compassion, "then your abuela will come back with us. She'll stay through at least the first week of your new semester, then go back. At spring break, Tony will fly to Mexico again, and then we will be back for the summer. Did I get it all right?"

The other two nodded, and Tony sent a megawatt smile Abuela's way. She smiled in return, kissed her fingertips, and blew the kiss across the table to him. "Is this ok with you, now, nieto? It will be just a couple of months between visits each time, so you will still see me every few weeks."

Gibbs watched Tony's reaction. "Yes, ok, but let's buy all the tickets ahead of time so I will be sure."

"That's fine with me," Gibbs answered. "We'll get them all ahead of time and you can keep track of the dates."

"Bambino, but you know that between the times you are going to be doing things by yourself, without me. Because I will not be here to tell you to do your homework, or clean up, or not watch television or whatever, you will be making more decisions yourself. That is right, though. You are maturing, and you will not need our constant supervision. You are going to have to take more responsibility."

"Ok, I know that. I know that I have to grow up a lot, but I don't want to do that all the way away from you right now."

"You also know that you will be able to call me anytime."

"Yes-"

"Then this is okay. I have been with you from the time you were just walking, and I will be with you still, even when you one day have your own child who will just be walking. Usted pertenece a mi. You are mine, and I will always love you. Te amo."

"Te amo," Tony responded, then got up to throw his arms around her and cover her face with kisses.

"All right, can things get back to normal now that everything has been addressed?" Jethro interrupted, relieved at the prospect of peace in his home.

"Sure, Dad, thanks for promising to let me travel to Abuela."

"No problem- I am glad that everything is straight." Jethro smiled and stood as well. Stretching, he glanced at the clock and then back at his son. "It is time for you to head up and get your shower. It is nearly your bedtime."

"Dad," Tony begged when he saw the time, looking from Jethro to Maria, "can't we skip the rest of that punishment?"

Noting Jethro's unyielding expression Tony shook his head, "I already got a spanking-" he turned to Maria, then back to his dad, "an awful, painful spanking, Abuela, that still hurts- can't that be enough?"

Maria shook her head, "No, you have never deserved a spanking more than you did today, and you earned the restrictions, as well. The way to avoid the punishment is to not do anything which gets you one, not try to get out of it after you have worked for one."

Defeated, Tony started towards the steps. Maria called softly after him, "Bambino, it is as hard for me letting you go as it is for you letting me go." Tony turned back and smiled at her, then at his dad, and made his way up the steps.


End file.
